


The Evil Eye

by addledwalrus



Series: Folkloric Tales [2]
Category: Original Work, Western European & Related Occult Traditions
Genre: 14th Century, Age Difference, Amulets, Arranged Marriage, Character Death, Corruption, Desperation, Doctor/Patient, Duty, Evil, F/M, Fever, Gen, Graphic Depictions of Illness, Headaches & Migraines, Husbands, Illnesses, Immorality, Italian Character(s), Italy, Jealousy, Loyalty, Master & Servant, Middle Ages, Mother-Daughter Relationship, Plague, Religious Content, Religious Guilt, Scents & Smells, Scheming, Servants, Sicily - Freeform, Sins, Spiritual, Superstition, Sweat, Teenagers, Theft, Tragedy, Vanity, Vomiting, Wealth, Weddings, Wives, black death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-04
Updated: 2018-04-04
Packaged: 2019-04-18 13:51:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 953
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14214522
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/addledwalrus/pseuds/addledwalrus
Summary: A cornicello fails to protect it's wearer from misfortune in fourteenth century Italy.





	The Evil Eye

**Sicily, 1347**

Life as a virtuous and dutiful merchant's daughter came to an end when Lucrezia Rosso was married off to one of her father's business associates at the age of fifteen.

The atmosphere during the wedding ceremony was too overwhelming for a sheltered young woman and it was only her mother's kind words that provided Lucrezia with the strength to smile at her new husband in affection.

He reciprocated with a similarly warm expression, though his body language made it clear to all that she was really just a child being placed in his care until menstruation marked her as ready to carry an heir.

"My darling..." Signora Rosso uttered tearfully once they were together in a private room after the formalities. "It pains me to lose you, however much I anticipated this day..."

"Mother, I have heard father talk about him. I am sure he will be kind."

"I know, but I love you too much...and you are still naive in so many ways."

Signora Rosso took a moment to catch her breath before continuing.

"Remember everything I have taught you. Managing the kitchen is only the beginning of your responsibilities."

"Mother, I know-"

"You are a beautiful girl. He will value your high forehead and fair skin, but other women will not feel the same way. You must guard yourself from their hatred and envy."

Signora Rosso removed the red amulet that hung around her neck and passed it to Lucrezia, whom felt reluctant to take it.

"I can't."

"Please, I have already fulfilled my duty as a wife and mother. Now it is your turn."

Lucrezia swallowed and took the amulet with a heavy heart, while wondering how much truth really lay in the superstitions and whether people followed them simply out of fear.

* * *

The petty schemes of jealous women would eventually pale in comparison to the horror that came in October, shortly after Lucrezia's sixteenth birthday. News of Genoese ships arriving in the port spread fast and she wished to accompany her husband there in the hope of encountering old family members, though he advised her to stay at home where she would be safe.

The day passed at a snail's pace and the return of her husband in the evening brought Lucrezia's mind back to life. She strode outside to welcome him but he rebuffed her hospitality.

"I do not have the spirit to eat nor drink tonight..." He explained. "What I saw today...words cannot describe it..."

"You can tell me."

"No, it pains me too much..."

Lucrezia was immediately reminded of her mother's parting words and she reached up to clutch the amulet that now adorned her fine clothes.

 _"Tomorrow is Sunday. My only sin would be that I am perhaps rather vain at times, but who could blame me?"_ She reminded herself in an attempt to seek distraction.

* * *

He complained of a headache while they travelled home from church and though it seemed like nothing unusual at first, his condition rapidly worsened as Sunday wore on.

Lucrezia helped him to bed as per her duties and ordered one of the servants to summon a local doctor before kneeling down to utter comforting words.

"It's only a fever. It will soon pass..." She whispered, stroking his forehead until he suddenly lurched and rolled over to give a hoarse cough.

She noticed what seemed to be a strange lump at the back of his neck, but felt convinced that her own eyes were being deceiving.

The doctor arrived within a hour and advised her to leave the room while he worked. She nodded and walked out before touching her amulet yet again for the sake of comfort.

_"Why do I feel so afraid?"_

* * *

The doctor soon announced the need to tend to other folk and left Lucrezia alone to watch as her husband's health instead grew worse.

He was vomiting constantly on the second day and the stench became unbearable to the point that not even the servants dared to wander near his bedroom.

"The fate of this household rests upon his shoulders..." Lucrezia found herself saying to them in anger. "...yet none of you are willing to endure hardship for his sake. As his wife, I shall have to set an example from which you must learn."

They watched dumbfounded as she requested a bucket of water from the well and subsequently used it to begin scrubbing the revolting floor clean by herself.

She suppressed all urge to give up even as her clothes were soiled and the smell made her stomach churn in disgust.

The sight of her prized amulet dangling freely in the air did not go unnoticed and one young man in particular stared greedily while entertaining the desire to have it at his disposal.

He averted his eyes the moment that Lucrezia stopped and stood up with sweat coating her forehead.

* * *

Calogero took advantage of the hysteria resulting from the plague and the short amount of time likely left in his own life, by taking whatever he could from the household that he once served.

The master of the house had died rather ungracefully a month before and despite the young lady's efforts to maintain order, she too was now succumbing to the disease with no hope of recovery in sight.

It was a sinful act indeed for Calogero to enter the chamber of a dying woman with the intention of theft, but the sight of a once pretty face marred by dark buboes made her worth no more than an animal in his eyes.

All she could let out was a hopeless whimper as he tore the horned talisman away from her neck and departed with a satisfied grin.


End file.
